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Leaning Java - Android game development

Posted on May 04, 2015

I have been meaning to learn Java for a while a now, but as usual it’s all about finding the time. Over the last few weeks I have been fortunate enough to come across the brilliant Java tutorials over on Kilobolt.com. Not only do they cover Java basics, but they continue to step you through creating your own framework for game development. Then port them across to Android via the Android Studio IDE.

At the end of the tutorial you have a one level robot platform game, shown above. The development has gone fairly smoothly. Coming from a OO and .net background, you realise how similar the language is to c#. So far it’s been surprising enjoyable (less frustrating that I had expected). I feel this is probably down to the similarities to c#, so have not needed to learn as much as I had expected.

Since completing the tutorial I have made a large number of changes to my platform game. Some of this is listed below:

Added player lives, level time and score system

Multiple levels

Control UI for button presses

Multiple enemy classes for new enemies (lots of changes here!)

New collision detection to allow enemies to kill player and walk (use gravity)

Updated tile map code to 36 from 9 tiles, this allowed much more detailed levels. Also allows placement of enemies, coins, etc.

So much more, too much to list really (and I have forgotten a lot !!)

I am hoping to get the game up on Google Play Store later in the month. I'll let you know once I have made some more progress. But in the mean time here are a few taster screen shots of the first couple of levels of the first world. I hope you like them.

I can’t take all the credit for the graphics, as much of this is from the site opengameart.org (Awesome assets from greggman, software_atelier, truezipp and MoikMellah) full credit will be in the game.